Improved eailway-switoh



@geiten tstts jattnt @fitte Letters' Patent No. fifi-,951, dated Felnuary'Q, 1868,

' IllllIIhiOVllil RAILWAY-SWITCH.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONGIIRNir Be it known that I, WILLIAM'J. Safownnn, of the city and county of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented a new and `improved Railroad-Switch; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specicaton, in whieh y Figure lis a plan view ofthe switchhshowing the switch-rails in line with the main track.

Figure 2 is a similar View ofthe same parts, showing the switch-rails in line with the siding or turnout.

Figure 3 is aside elevation of the rails outside, taken at the switch.

Figure 4 isV a sectionalview, showing the manner oi' connecting the switch-lever to one ofthe switch-rails.` This invention relates to an improvement on the construction of railroad-switches, which improvement is designed particularly for'iise in connection with the automatic switch securedito me by Letters Patent, dated onthe 19th day of June, T866, thclatter being applied at one end ofthe siding or turnout, and the former being -applie'd to`the opposite end of the siding.

VThe nature of my invention consists inl having one of the switch-rails ofthe turnout connected to one ofthe switch-rails of the main track by a cross-brace or tie, and in connecting the latter switch-rail to a switch-lever, by means of a rod passing horizontally through the stationary turnout-rail, which rod is provided witha. strong spring that serves to positively hold the switch-rail of the main track in line therewith, and in close contact with the inside of the stationary railof the turnout, as will be hereinafter described.

vTel enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I will describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A A represent the rails of the main track, and A the main-track switchrail, which latter may he jointed, so as to move about a fixed pivot, butI prefer to have this rail-section spiked downto the cross-ties, so thatva suilieient-portion will be left free to spring laterallyirom the main-track rail,

the sectionV B of the turnout, as shown in figs. 1 and 2. .Y y

By thus arranging the s\\'itcl1railA,`-I have. but one joint at the switch, and, therefore, .'malce the parts 4more substantial and secure, besideswhiclx I`make the switch so that it will. always have a tendency to keep in place-forth@ main-track rails. Thcisection oi' rail, A,'which is opposite the free end of the switch-rail section, A', is arranged so as to break joint with the opposite sections of the 'main rail, as shown in gs. 1 and 2. 'The siding or turnout B diver-ges from the main-track rails, and the switch-rail section, B', is applied between 'the main rails, so as to have a free 'lateral vibratingr p lay about a xed point. This swtchesection B is connected to the free end of the switch-.section A', by means of a tie, C, which is p'ivoted by its ends 'to said railsections, so that beth of these sections will move together, and, as far as practicable, preserve their parallelism. `The rail-section B is also made taperingiat and near its free end, so as to lie close to the inside of the main-track rail A, when in the position shown in fig. il, for switching a'train upon the siding. The siding or turnout-rail B, which is nearest the section A', is arranged outside of this section, and outside ofthe main-track rail A, so that it breaks-joint with the joint of the sections A and A.

The free end of the switch-rail section A is connected to a'vertically-vibrating lever, D, by means of e. horizontal transverse rod, a, which passes through the web of the stationary siding-section B, and around which a strong spring, b, is coiled, 'for keeping the rail-section A in place, in line with the main-trackrrail, as'shown in iig, 1. The lever D is pivotcd toand guided by a standard, E, which`is secured down to a rm foundation outside of the tracks. p l -i It is-not intended to confine myself to the use ofan elliptic spring, helical spring, orl any other form of spring'forkeeping the main-trackV switch-rail in place, in line with the main track; nor do I conue myself to the manner of arranging the main-trackswitch-section A so that it will bend or spring, as this section may be pivoted like the one `opposite.- i

It is designed by my invention to have the main-track switch always in place, lin line with the main track, when it is not held in place, in lineJvith the siding, by a. person having hold ofthe leverl);

If, for any reason, itshould-be found desirnble'to keep the switch-rail sections in line with the siding, this may b done by means of a chainsas shown in iig. 4, applied to the lever D, so as to hold it beck, which chain should be so constructed thatfit will readily break-and allow the switch-sections Vto be thrown into line withthemain-trck rails, should a train approach thc switch on the main track, and its wheels press outward the section A.

v It will also be seen from the above description, taken in connection wit-h the accompsnying drawings, that the switch, and all its appurtennnces, cre above the cross-ties, so that neither dirt nor ice and snow will be liable' to clog the parts.

' lHaving described my invention, what I claim asnew, and desire to secure by Letters Potent, is

l. The arrangement of the switch-rail sections A andv B', between the turnout-rail B and the main-track rail A, the former being laid so as to overlap theiixed main rail A, substantially as described.

2. The spring b, or its equivnlent,11terposed between the rail B and lever D, in combination with the connecting-rod a, and switch-sections A B', substantially as described. l

3. A railroad-rail switch, constructed and operating substantinllyxas set'forth.

WILLIAM J. STOWEL'L.

Witnesses:

J. E, McINTIRE, LH. GOLDTHWAT. 

